CinderLily
by Dom the Fantabulous
Summary: An A/U... basically the cinderella story with Marauder-era characters... R&R please... :)
1. The Beginning

**More than anything I wanted to go to a ball. Daddy would've let me go-; but he wasn't here. And he wasn't coming back. That much I knew. Of course, I realized Petunia was treated better than I was… How couldn't I? She had been for almost as long as I could remember. Ever since that day… Father was supposed to be going on a business trip. I remember he looked so handsome, sitting there atop his midnight mare. I rode to the end of the rode on my new horse to see him off, as I always did. Petunia was probably practicing singing. When I'd asked Daddy why anyone would want to practice singing like _that, _He'd laughed and told me not everyone could sing as well as I could. That was around the time I started to notice several differences between Petty and I. I believe I was about seven or eight. I'd always been "Daddy's girl" and my sister was my mother's "Little Doll". I loved animals of all shapes and sizes, while Petunia despised them. Petunia looked more like my father's horse than any of our relatives, while I, with my crimson locks and delicate features, I favored my father's sister. Aunt Rose. I remember that Daddy would talk about her all the time, constantly reminding me how sweet and honest she was, how I looked so like she did! Oh, how I favored her. **

**                   Except for my eyes. My eyes… two glimmering emeralds taking in the world and all its beauty silently. My eyes were all my own. At least, I didn't know who I'd inherited them from. **

**                   Well, on that day, as I watched my father ride away gallantly, I sensed, rather than saw, that something was not quite right. Suddenly, with out warning, he slumped over in his saddle, and then fell to the ground with a thud and a sickening crack. I found out from the doctors later that he'd broken his neck; there was no way he could have possibly survived. I just remember screaming and crying… and not speaking for days after they'd lowered that box into the ground. The finality of covering my father with fresh earth cracked like a whip, and I began to see changes in my mother, and our household, after only a matter of days. **

I guess we'd been spoiled, Petunia and I, for, the first time I had to dust the library, I was shocked. But, chores gradually became commonplace for me, and soon I was no longer even a member of the family. It's amazing how a hard-working, good-natured girl can sink into the shadows, ignored until she's needed to do something else. I was a simple scullery maid to them, nothing more. Well, actually, I exaggerate. I was more. Much more. I was cook, I was the washer of clothing, I was Petunia's dressing maid… I was a slave. 

**          They moved me to the smallest room in the house, not much more than a drafty closet above the attic. It had all the luxuries of a prison…a hard, lumpy mattress, a crumbling fireplace, and a chamber pot. Once a day a small bowl of burned porridge and soggy bread was set outside of my door. By whom, I wasn't positive. Maybe it was one of the scullery maids, who felt sorry for me.**

**          Even the dogs ate better than I did, of which I cannot complain, for it was my choosing. Every afternoon, I would venture the mile down the road to the butcher, and he would donate his scraps of meat. When I think about it, maybe it was a bit silly of me to feed the dogs better than I when I was starving… But it didn't matter to me then. I just couldn't bear to see them go hungry.**

**          I remember one afternoon in particular. How could I forget it? It was the day that changed my destiny forever… the day magic touched my life. One of the kings messengers rapped on the door, and, giving me a small smile of pity when he noticed my tattered rags, unrolled his scroll.**

HERE YE! HERE YE! BY ROYAL DECREE OF THE KING, EVERY MAIDEN IN THE LAND SHALL BE INVITED TO ATTEND THE ROYAL BALL FOR HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS, PRINCE JAMES. 

          He continued, of course, but I was no longer paying attention. I hadn't been listening to the little bald man since the word 'ball' had been uttered from his toothless mouth. Of course, I listened to the details, if only barely, how the ball would last three nights, the first two to be a masquerade… etcetera. I was too busy envisioning myself spinning about the ballroom in a beautiful gown, dancing on the arm of a dashing mad. But as always, I wasn't even aloud to dream in peace.

          "You're not letting HER go, are you mother?" Petunia bellowed, minutes after she heard the news.

          "I don't see why not, if she finishes her chores and finds a gown." My mother smiled her cold smile, then turned and ascended the stairs. "Come Petunia, you must get ready, dear."

          I smiled to myself. My mother had obviously thought she'd won, but, little did she know that I _did _have a dress. A marvelous dress that had belonged to my aunt. Finishing my chores would be no problem, it never was, and I started immediately.

          By some miracle I finished my chores much earlier than usual, and hurried to my room with two large tubs of water, careful not to slosh any over the edges. I knew I'd have to bathe before going; there was no question about it, for I was covered in dirt and grime. With a chunk of hard, dry lye soap, I scrubbed furiously until my elbows and knees were pink, and set to work on my hair. It was hard work, and I had to empty the dirty water from the tubs twice, but I finished, finally. I had Suzie, an eager-to-please scullery maid tighten my aunt's corset for me and help me into the dress. She set my hair into lovely ringlets atop my head, and for the first time in my life, I felt beautiful. Having no circlet or Tiara to wear, we made due with a woven chain of small white flowers.

          All too soon, I heard my sister and mother readying to depart, and I felt my nerves begin to get the better of me. What would they say? Would they really let me go as they'd said they would? I hurried downstairs, trying to contain my smile.

          Petunia looked at me in horror, as if she'd been slapped.

          "Oh, Petty!" I gushed, lying through my teeth, "You look beautiful!" actually, she looked like a horse put on a wig and rouge, then tried to stuff itself in a dress that just didn't fit.

          She gave me a weak smile, sipping her wine. "As do you-oh…" My sister's lip curled into an ugly sneer, and I watched slow motion as the wine glass slipped out of her hand and flew forward, splashing across the front of my dress and leaving an ugly maroon stain down the front.

          "I expect this mess to be cleaned when I return." My mother said simply, speaking to me. "Come Petunia, we don't want to be late. Pity Lily has to miss it."


	2. The Preperations

            **I was able to restrain the barrage of tears that threatened to break through, stinging my 'lids, until I could hear the sound of hoof beats from the horses that pulled their carriage fading into the night.**

**        Quietly, so that no one could hear me, I slipped away to my favorite spot in the manor. Or rather, behind the manor… the fountain, where I used to sit with father as a child. I laid my head on the bench, wishing he could be here with me now, allowing the tears to trickle down my cheek in a steady stream, not bothering to wipe them away.**

**        I must have sat like that for an hour, the bottom of my dress soiled from mud, when I looked up. It hadn't seemed like that amount of time had passed, but when I look back on it now, I realized I'd dozed, for, an hour had indeed passed.**

**        Suddenly, something began to glimmer on the horizon, shining like diamonds. I was under the impression that maybe I was dreaming, so I rubbed my eyes vigorously, trying to get my bearings. I stood to run as I realized the glimmering lights were beginning to take form-; human form. I scrambled to my feet, but, alas, I tripped on the hem of my muddy gown and tumbled to the ground, watching in a sort of suspended horror as a solid torso, then head, appeared from no where. I squeezed m eyes shut tight, afraid to watch. My thoughts raced from "must be dreaming" to the old wives tales I'd heard of demons and spirits.**

**        "Don't be afraid, dear." The words, and the musical quality of the voice that uttered them, caught me off guard; I'd been expecting a hiss and a snarl, then a demonic, evil creature to appear.**

**        "Don't be afraid…" The voice repeated, and I found the courage to peel my hands away from my eyes. The owner of the voice was a woman; a woman older than time itself. It shown in every wrinkle of her ancient face, radiated in her very sense of _being._ **

**        "W-who are you?" I choked, finally finding my voice. It was weak and feeble, but I had spoken the words. That was a great accomplishment in itself.**

**        "I, dear?" She laughed, a laugh that could only be described as the tinkling of small bells. "I, dear, am your fairy Godmother."**

**        "Poppycock." She was crazy. She had to be. Or I was dreaming. Or a mixture of both. "What nonsense you talk…"**

**"Nonsense, you say? Then how, Lily Evans of Valley Broad, do I know your secret dreams? Your wishes? Your hearts innermost desires? The ball, Lily. You shall go to the ball."**

**        It was too good to be true. I couldn't believe her… could I?**

**        "Yes, you must believe, for it to happen. But, first, you must bring me a pumpkin."**

**        "A pumpkin?" I raised a delicately arched eyebrow high upon my forehead.**

**        "Don't ask questions, we haven't time. Just bring what I ask, and I'll work my magic."**

**        I nodded and hurried to the garden around the side of the manor, picking out a medium sized pumpkin and dragging it towards her. **

**        I watched in amazement as she waved her wand, and the pumpkin began to grow, doubling, and then tripling in size. "Your chariot." She smiled.**

**        A few moments later, I had a footman, a driver, and four beautiful white stallions, all whinnying and anxious to get moving.**

**        "Ah, but you can't go to the ball looking like this… no, it wouldn't do." She waved her wand, and I was dressed in the most beautiful gown I'd ever seen. It was a silky, pearly white, and seemed to shine, as if moonbeams danced across the surface. I put a hand up to my hair, and my crimson locks had been placed in a delicate arrangement atop my head, a silver tiara holding the curls into place. **

**        "As it is a masquerade ball, it is only fair you go in costume… as the angel you are."**

**        I smiled, taking the beaded white mask she handed me, and realized a pair of shiny wings were attached to the back of my dress. **

**        "Well then, my dear, It's off to the ball for you! Wouldn't want you to be late. However, you must leave by the final stroke of midnight, for after midnight, my magic wears off…"**


End file.
